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Thoughts on swapped E30s and traveling back in time (long)

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    Thoughts on swapped E30s and traveling back in time (long)

    Hey guys, not sure if you do intro threads here or not, but we do on my local forum so I figured why the hell not, at the same time I'd like to get some opinions/ideas on this crazy little thought I have in my head. I've had an E90 325i for about 2.5 years now, it's slow, and I pay more than I probably should each month for it. It's still under warranty so I haven't had any repair bills to foot yet, but it comes off of warranty in about 6 months and the combination of that and re-enrolling in school shortly have quickly persuaded me to list it for sale.

    It's loaded with everything except for nav and comfort access, and I've been spoiled with my automatic wipers, heated seats and adaptive headlights (amongst other things). Most of you probably care very little, or not at all about anything I've said thus far, but here's where it gets interesting.

    When I sell this car (sooner than later, hopefully) I plan on getting into a clean, S50/2 swapped E30. I'm going to miss all of the little things my '06 does, sure, who wouldn't, but my priorities are shifting quickly...school, planning on buying an engagement ring within the next year and officially starting to act more like a responsible adult. Scares the hell out of me.

    Would I be crazy for wanting to make such a switch? 3 generations of Bavaria, selling my 5 year old sedan for a 2 door BMW that's as old as I am? I've entertained E46s, E36 M3s, E30s, and even a few Lexus'.

    The E46. Slower than my current car, and not any more dependable than my E90 is going to be. Money saved in buying one will likely be made up in repairs.

    The E36 M3. I'm not going to make any friends by saying this, but I have never been a fan of the way these cars look. I just wouldn't be happy owning one, it isn't the slightest bit attractive to me, save for 3 or 4 heavily modded ones I've seen over the years. The only thing that could potentially sway me is that raw, visceral experience the cars give you.

    Lexus. Nice, and dependable, but when there's a car show or a drive that my fellow Bimmer buddies put on, I won't be able to partake, and throwing an ES300 around a corner isn't even remotely entertaining.

    S50 E30.
    and please, tell me if I am totally off base here. I am in love with the exterior styling, as are most of you, that needs little convincing. Despite the lack of amenities, I think the power the car possesses, getting that same raw feeling you would with an E36M, and the amount of character this car would have would more than make up for it. It would constantly put a smile on my face. I'm led to believe they're very reliable, and this being my one and only, my daily driver. I realize it's an M on the inside, but from what I've been told by friends with E36 M3s, these engines are bulletproof as long as you stay up to date on maintenance and do the cooling system, etc.

    So...I think that's pretty much it, thoughts? :neutral:

    #2
    S50 E30 is the way to be. It's a fun setup. Not a monster power house but plenty of grunt and go.
    Need a part? PM me.

    Get your Bass on. Luke's r3v Boxes are here: http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=198123

    Comment


      #3
      How are you with car control? I mean like driving a car with semitrailing arms and none of that DSC ,traction control, etc, that you are so used to?
      Lorin


      Originally posted by slammin.e28
      The M30 is God's engine.

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by LJ851 View Post
        How are you with car control? I mean like driving a car with semitrailing arms and none of that DSC ,traction control, etc, that you are so used to?
        This has been a concern of mine as well, I mean, I don't usually turn it off on this car, and the only other car I've had was a FWD boat, so I have no past experience.

        I imagine I would just take my time and take it slow until I really know the car's limits and at what point it becomes unsafe.

        The other concern would be safety just in daily driving situations, if I were to be in an accident, the safety systems and my side curtain airbags won't be there to save me. :-(

        Comment


          #5
          to be honest i think the e90s look like crap, drive like crap and are built like crap. that being said. any older car you buy will need maintenance. whether you do your own maintenance will make or break this idea. the e46 330i is faster than the e90 325i. so idk what you mean by it(e46) being slower. as for e36's the chassis are crap, though the engines are better than the stock m20/m10/m42s of the e30 area. e30's are for those who like to tinker with their cars, if you can see your self doing that, i bet you will find it is far superior to the lame e90. as for having options the e30 has no sh*tty Idrive crap. we have power-windows/door locks/steering, heated seats, warning lights if any bulb is out, ABS, AC,airbag. and for the pluses. smaller better handling car, better looking and with a s50/2 swap faster than the e90s.
          Much wow
          I hate 4 doors

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by Marcumac View Post
            The other concern would be safety just in daily driving situations, if I were to be in an accident, the safety systems and my side curtain airbags won't be there to save me. :-(
            e30s have more metal there to save you... not a balloon
            Much wow
            I hate 4 doors

            Comment


              #7
              It all comes down to what your budget is. An S50 E30 will never be as reliable as a brand new car, but 24V E30s are sure as fuck reliable. But it is also the rawest of all the cars you mentioned, and will definitely kill you a lot quicker then all of those cars. Though it will be the funnest, the cheapest, and the most neck breaking of all those cars. It won't be as luxurious as all of those other cars, but the E30 has everything you need, decently low cabin noise, good options such as ABS, heated seats, warning lights, airbags, and can be a comfy ride depending on your suspension setup. As far as safety is concerned, I can tell you the E30 is A LOT safer than you can imagine. Lots of metal between you and the outside. But it is not for the non-enthusiast, there will basically almost ALWAYS be something for you to work on, but it will ALWAYS get you from point A to point B someway or somehow.
              Originally posted by TSI
              ♫ Rust flecks are falling on my head...♫
              OEM+

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by Marcumac View Post
                This has been a concern of mine as well, I mean, I don't usually turn it off on this car, and the only other car I've had was a FWD boat, so I have no past experience.

                I imagine I would just take my time and take it slow until I really know the car's limits and at what point it becomes unsafe.

                The other concern would be safety just in daily driving situations, if I were to be in an accident, the safety systems and my side curtain airbags won't be there to save me. :-(
                Please don't get an e30. I hate seeing nice e30s get wrecked.:-(

                The lexus is the car for you, or if you really need that roundel to fit in with your buddies, get another newer bmw like the one you have.

                Also, it should be required to own a stock e30 before a modded e30 let alone an s5x swap. You will get to know the car and appreciate the upgrades so much more, thats the fun in modding cars.
                Zinno '89 <24v swap in progress>

                Comment


                  #9
                  The E90s look like crap stock, yes, but mine wasn't. There's a lot more than can go wrong with it, and it does a million different things behind the scenes that I'm not even aware of. You're right about the 330s being faster, for some reason I didn't think they were, I've always been able to keep up with my buddy's until just recently.

                  I can learn to tinker, I have a whole bunch of local guys more than willing to help me with any problems I might encounter, I'm just not a gearhead and have a lot to learn, so I don't want to buy a fixer-upper, but rather a car that's already been sorted out mechanically for me. Didn't realize E30s had so many options, especially heated seats, however I refuse to believe that they're anywhere near as safe as my E90. Name of the game when you're buying a 20 year old car I suppose.

                  Originally posted by lolcantturn View Post
                  But it is also the rawest of all the cars you mentioned, and will definitely kill you a lot quicker then all of those cars.
                  I'm starting to hear this a lot, and it makes me nervous. I want a faster car, but not something that I could easily hurt or kill myself in.

                  Originally posted by VinniE30 View Post
                  Please don't get an e30. I hate seeing nice e30s get wrecked.

                  The lexus is the car for you, or if you really need that roundel to fit in with your buddies, get another newer bmw like the one you have.
                  Thanks for your valuable opinion, but I don't appreciate you being a cyber dick. I'm not going to drive it like an asshole, I'm not some punk kid. You know nothing about me, and you completely misread that statement. I am not buying this to "fit in with my buddies", I thoroughly enjoy the events we put on, the backroad drives, our trips to Tail of the Dragon, and I want something that is capable of keeping up. I won't be happy in a car that doesn't handle at the same level or better than my ZSP E90 does.
                  Last edited by Marcumac; 06-30-2011, 04:34 PM.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Well, I'm biased, but I would get an S5x E30 WITH air conditioning if I were looking for a more raw DD. Get some rides if possible in a swap car. I guarantee you'll have a smile on your face even riding shotgun. The real treat IMO is when you take the car to the limits on the track or while autocrossing it.

                    If you shop carefully, there are better swap cars than others. Some have only the engine swapped and the suspension is neglected.

                    The E30 is not that safe when compared to modern cars.

                    Originally posted by whysimon
                    WTF is hello Kitty (I'm 28 with no kids and I don't have cable)

                    Comment


                      #11
                      I'm with Vinni on this one. Get an m20 powered e30 first and learn your limits in it. E30s have no nanny controls to assist the driver and are all about driver instinct and skill. Drove my m20 for years and finally doing an s50 swap.
                      Continuous For Sale Thread
                      323i s50

                      Comment


                        #12
                        you're not going to kill yourself because the e30 is a car that loses control often
                        youre gonna kill yourself because you never experienced something like it. e30 is crazy easy to control oversteer on, but for someone who has relied on DSC and had a FWD car before, an E30 rear end that seems to be slipping away can be EXTREMELY scary the first time especially with an S5x. and forget it if you're trying to drive it in the rain and you're not used to it yet.
                        Originally posted by TSI
                        ♫ Rust flecks are falling on my head...♫
                        OEM+

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Honestly I think an M20B25 E30 is a totally different car than an S5x swap car.

                          I think it depends on the individual. Some people get a 600cc bike to start and are fine. Some get a 600cc bike, and immediately try to wheelie down the highway the second week they have it and end up a grease spot.

                          Originally posted by whysimon
                          WTF is hello Kitty (I'm 28 with no kids and I don't have cable)

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by Court M3 View Post
                            I'm with Vinni on this one. Get an m20 powered e30 first and learn your limits in it. E30s have no nanny controls to assist the driver and are all about driver instinct and skill. Drove my m20 for years and finally doing an s50 swap.
                            what he said. and if you have school and an engagement ring to worry about... i think driving a really nice car is the least of your worries now

                            Comment


                              #15
                              E30 S52 DUH!

                              Love mine. Decent gas mileage and very reliable motor. Plenty of go and can make it fast as you want it.

                              Originally posted by Roysneon
                              $5 shipped?
                              Originally posted by MarkD
                              You are a strange dude, I'n not answering any more posts from you.

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